Chemical process

ABSTRACT

Aluminum alkoxides are hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid in an aqueous system in proportions of from about one-half to about one mol of hydrochloric acid per mol of aluminum alkoxide to produce a plural phase system of co-product alcohols and a water-soluble hydroxy chloroaluminum compound. The plural phase system is readily separated into components. The hydroxy chloroaluminum compound is pyrolyzed to yield aluminum hydroxide or aluminum oxide plus hydrochloric acid.

United States Patent 1 Kobetz [52] US. Cl. 423/462; 423/626; 423/630;423/629; 423/481; 424/68; 260/632 [51] Int. Cl. C0lb 7/00; COIf 7/02[58] Field of Search 423/626, 629, 630, 592, 423/462; 260/632 A [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/l94l Hixson et al 423/6267/1962 Aldridge 423/630 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Jacobson: Encyclopedia ofChemical Reactons,

[ June 3, 1975 vol. 1, (1946), p. 73.

Tanabe: Basic Aluminum Compounds, American Perfumes and Cosmetics, Vol.77, August 1962.

Primary Examiner-Herbert T. Carter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald L.Johnson; John F. Sieberth; Shelton B. McAnelly [5 7] ABSTRACT Aluminumalkoxides are hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid in an aqueous system inproportions of from about one-half to about one mol of hydrochloric acidper mol of aluminum alkoxide to produce a plural phase system ofco-product alcohols and a watersoluble hydroxy chloroaluminum compound.The plural phase system is readily separated into components. Thehydroxy chloroaluminum compound is pyrolyzed to yield aluminum hydroxideor aluminum oxide plus hydrochloric acid.

13 Claims, No Drawings CHEMICAL PROCESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention The invention relates to the preparation ofhydroxy chloroaluminum compounds and aluminum oxides and hydroxides andalcohols.

2. Description of the Prior Art The hydrolysis of aluminum alkoxides isa process well known in the art. It is described in US. Pat. Nos.3,475,501; 3,475,476; 3,384,651; 3,415,861; 2,892,858 and 2,823,144 andin British Pat. Nos. 967,053 and 935,802, these patents and the artcited therein being incorporated herein by reference.

As a practical matter, a preferred method to achieve rapid and completehydrolysis of aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohols without regard forco-products is to use a stoichiometric amount of moderately concentratedsulfuric acid in an aqueous system. This provided rapid and completereaction with production of a highly soluble aluminum compoundby-product; however, it suffers from the characteristic that thecoproduct is aluminum sulfate. Where aluminum sulfate is desired, thisis no particular problem; however, if some other compound of aluminum isdesired, such as those sought herein, this process has the disadvantagethat the desired product is not easily obtained.

Where the sulfuric acid is omitted in the prior art hydrolysis justmentioned, the by-product aluminum compound is a gelatinous aluminumhydroxide precipitate which is not easily separated from the alcohol.Furthermore, as a general proposition, the hydrolysis is slower and lesscomplete.

Another form of prior art hydrolysis uses a basic reactant to react withthe aluminum released; however, this also suffers from severaldisadvantages and does not produce a product in the form desired for thepresent purposes.

Objects It is an object of the present invention to provide a processfor hydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohols and co-producthydroxychloroaluminum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process forhydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohols and a co-productaluminum compound of the formula AlCl,(OH) wherein x is from about 0.5to about 1.0; y is from about 2.0 to about 2.5 and x v is 3.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process forhydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides rapidly and in high efficiency to producel alcohols and (2) an intermediate compound which are readily separated;the intermediate compound being readily converted to Al(OH);, or A1Another object of the present invention is to provide a process forhydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides with hydrochloric acid to producealcohols and a co-product aluminum compound wherein from about one halfto about one mol of acid is used per mol of aluminum alkoxide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process forhydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohols and a co-productintermediate aluminum compound from which the acid is readily recoveredfor reuse or for the production of revenue.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for therapid and substantially complete conversion of aluminum alkoxides intoalkanols and a coproduct intermediate compound via an acid assistedhydrolysis, the intermediate being readily converted to yield the acidand to produce a valuable product Al- (OH) or A1 0 of high reactivity.Preferred alkanols are characterized by straight chain carbon skeletonstructure, saturated carbon to carbon linkage and sin gle hydroxyl groupper molecule (monobasic). Preferred alcohol products have little or noimpurities, typically 10 mol percent or less such as less than 5 percentor less than 1 percent.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent upon a careful consideration of the following writtendescription of the invention. This description is intended to enable anyperson skilled in the art to make and use the invention.

Although preferred alcohols are alkanols (monobasic), it is evident thatpolybasic alcohols; e.g., diols can also be produced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present process, hydroxychloroaluminum or aluminum chlorohydrate is produced by reacting analuminum alkoxide AI(OR) with hydrochloric acid (I-ICl) in an aqueoussystem in molar proportions of from about /2 to about 1 mol ofhydrochloric acid per mol of aluminum alkoxide to form a product systemwhich readily separates into two phases. The reaction is rapid andcomlete even at ordinary room temperature, predictably faster at highertemperatures. One of the phases thus obtained is an organic phasecontaining the alcohol coproducts. The other phase is an aqueous phasecontaining the hydroxy chloroaluminum compound in. solution.

The present invention thus relates to a process for hydrolyzing aluminumalkoxides to produce alcohol and a hydroxy chloroaluminum compound.

In this process, an aluminum alkoxide having from about 6 to about 30carbon atoms per alkoxide group is reacted with hydrochloric acid inmolar proportions of from about /2 to about 1 mol of hydrochloric acidper mol of aluminum alkoxide in an aqueous system to form a two phasereaction product system. One of the phases of the reaction productsystem is an organic phase. The other of the phases is an aqueoussolution of AlCl (OH) Following the reaction, the two phases areseparated.

The present invention also relates to an improved method for producingaluminum oxide or aluminum hydroxide. In this process an aluminumalkoxide having from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms per alkoxide groupis reacted with hydrochloric acid in molar proportions of from about V2to about 1 mol of hydrochloric acid per mol of aluminum alkoxide in anaqueous system to form a two phase reaction product system. One of thephases of the reaction product system is an organic phase. The other ofthe phases is an aqueous solution of AlCl ,(Ol-l) Following thereaction, the phases are separated and water and hydrochloric acid arevaporized from the AlCl ,,(OH)- to produce a residue of aluminumhydroxide or aluminum oxide.

In a preferred aspect, the aluminum alkoxide reacted in accordance withthe present invention contains a plurality of alkyl groups ranging fromabout ethyl to about triacontyl. predominating in decyl, dodecyl,tetradecyl and hexadecyl alkyl groups.

In a preferred aspect, the aluminum alkoxide reacted in accordance withthe present invention contains predominantly octyl and higher alkylgroups.

The process of claim 1 wherein the aluminum alkoxide is predominantlyone or more of tridodecoxy aluminum, tritetradecoxy aluminum andtrihexadecoxy aluminum.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the molar ratio ofhydrochloric acid to aluminum alkoxide is about 221 and the product isAlCl (OH) In a preferred aspect of the present invention, thetemperature of the reaction of aluminum alkoxide and HCl is from aboutto about 150C; more preferably from about 40 to about 80C.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, substantially anhydrousaluminum alkoxide is combined with an HCl solution of from about 1 toabout 38 weight percent HCl.

In a preferred aspect, hydrochloric acid'vaporized from the water phaseof AlCl (OI-l) is recovered and recycled to the step of reaction of thealuminum alkoxide.

in a preferred aspect at least a portion of the heating of the AlCl (OH)to produce aluminum hydroxide or aluminum oxide is at a temperature offrom about 150 to about 1500C, more preferably from about 300 to about1000C, particularly from about 450 to about 600C, typically 500C.

In a preferred aspect, product alcohols are alkanols having only onehydroxyl group per molecule.

The alcohol produced by the process of the present invention is directlyusable in numerous ways, eg by sulfation to produce detergents. Ifdesired, the alcohol is subjected to intervening purification, e.g. bythe processes of US. Pat. No. 3,468,965, the disclosure of which isherein incorporated by reference.

The aqueous phase is readily treated to remove excess water, residualreactants, etc. to produce hydroxy chloroaluminum useful foranti-perspirant and deodorant compounds. For such usage, the aqueousphase remaining after hydrolysis on separation of the alcohol isevaporated to dryness at a temperature of from about 50 to about 150C toremove free water yielding a product Al(Ol-I) Cl .H- O. It will be notedthat this contains one molecule of water of hydration. In addition, thehydroxy chloroaluminum is readily pyrolyzed to yield aluminum oxide oraluminum hydroxide for use as a catalyst, adsorbent, absorbent, etc.Hydrochloric acid obtained from the hydrolysis is conveniently recycledto the hydrolysis or used in other ways or sold.

Discussion The present invention is characterized by several importantaspects. In the first place the desired hydrolysis reaction is rapid andcomplete when performed as described herein and the desired productalcohols are readily recovered from the desired aqueous by-productphase. This desired situation is attained with especial attention givento certain details.

In the first place, the aluminum alkoxides used preferably have alkoxygroups (RO) whose corresponding alcohols ROH, or at least the bulk ofthem, are substantially insoluble in water. In general. this meansalkoxides having alkoxy groups with six or more carbon atoms each orwhich at least predominate in such. In

addition, good separation of the alcohol and water phases fromhydrolysis and rapid and complete hydrolysis require the productalcohols to be in the liquid phase. Since most alcohols having 20 to 30and more carbon atoms per molecule have rather high melting points,temperature has a part in setting the preferred conditions for thehydrolysis reaction and for the separation and purification of thehydrolysis products. Thus. although the reaction and separation can beobtained with various materials at any temperature from thesolidification point of the aqueous phase (e.g. 0 to -30C), and up tothe decomposition point of product alcohols (e.g. from 0 up to about300C), one prefers to use temperatures near ambient or only slightlyelevated with respect thereto to facilitate operation with cooling towerwater for cooling purposes on warm days. Thus, the reaction is usuallyconducted at a temperature of from about 0lOOC in ordinary nonpressurevessels, or at higher temperatures of up to about 150C particularly ifunder autogenous pressures or higher with a preferred narrower rangebeing from about 40 to about C.

The pressure of the reaction and separation are not unpredictablycritical and any pressure from atmospheric to autogenous for thetemperature selected, or autogenous to elevated of up to about 500 psigor down to about 0.1 atmosphere is generally suitable. ln gen eral, itis preferred to operate at about atmospheric or about autogenouspressure to avoid unnecessary complications and costs of operating atsubor superatmospheric pressures. A narrower range of pressure is fromabout /2 to about 5 atmospheres.

Another important aspect of the present process is the stoichiometry,particularly the ratio of aluminum alkoxide to hydrochloric acid. It hasbeen found that the minimum amount of hydrochloric acid to produce awater soluble intermediate hydroxy chloroaluminum compound is about /2mol of HCl per mol of aluminum alkoxide Al(OR);, reacted. Likewise ithas been found that the maximum desired amount of l-lCl is about one molof HCl per mol of aluminum alkoxide reacted. Greater amounts areunnecessary to achieve a water soluble intermediate and hence involveunnecessary cost and handling expenses. In general, it is preferred touse near the minimum amount of acid therefore a preferred ratio of acidto aluminum alkoxide is from about /2 to about 3/4 moles per mol.

The hydrolysis reaction is rapid and may be conducted in time periods offrom a few seconds to several hours depending upon the temperature andthe concentration of the system. Preferred reaction times are from about5 to about 10 minutes at the preferred reaction temperatures of 40 to80C.

The hydrolysis reaction is performed in an aqueous system usually bycombining an anhydrous aluminum alkoxide with an aqueous solution ofhydrochloric acid. Although the hydrochloric acid solution may rangefrom dilute to concentrated, it is generally preferred to use from abouta 1 to about a 38 weight percent HCl solution. A more preferredsolution, particularly in combination with operation at the preferredtemperatures of from 40 to 80C, is from about 5 to about 20 weightpercent HCl with about 10 wt. percent HCl typical.

The pyrolysis reaction may be conducted at any suitable temperature inany suitable apparatus such as a rotary kiln or an oven capable ofwithstanding the corrosive fumes of HCl liberated. In general. pyrolysistemperatures of from about 150 to about 1500C are suitable, withtemperatures of from about 450 to about 600C being preferred.

The reaction of aluminum alkoxides with hydrochloric acid in aqueoussolution in accordance with the present invention occurs in severalsteps progressively and concurrently.

The following reactions are typical.

1. Al(OR) 3 H O Al(OH);; 3 ROH 2. Al(OR);, 3 HCl- A1CL, 3 ROH 3.Al(OR);; 2 HC1+ H O- Al(OH)Cl 3 ROH 3 ROH The following is an overallreaction Apparently the first predominant reaction is (1) to form ahighly reactive gelatinous aluminum hydroxide precipitate which is noteasily separated from the coproduct alcohol.

The aluminum hydroxide gel or the mixture thereof with alcohol reactswith HCl or the aluminum-chloro compounds at a temperature of from about0 to about 100C in a time of from about 1 minute to about 2 hours togive a two-phase system. The top phase contains the alcohol and thelower phase contains the aluminum hydroxy chlorides of equation 13. Thetwo phases are separated by conventional means, such as decantation orcentrifuging.

The alkyl groups in the aluminum alkoxides used for the reaction are notparticularly critical as long as the product alcohols desired remain ina phase separate from the water phase and adverse reactivity is avoided.Although the groups may range from methyl up through about triacontyl,it is preferred that the alkyl groups be saturated and straight chainedand have predominantly or exclusively from about 6 to about carbon atomseach with little if any present of the region from methyl through pentylso as to facilitate the separation from a water phase of a substantiallyinsoluble organic phase of alcohols and to avoid the need for hightemperatures to avoid melting point problems with high molecular weightalcoholsv Typical aluminum alkoxides used are trihexoxy aluminum,tridecoxy aluminum, tridodecoxy aluminum, tritetradecoxy aluminum aswell as trihexoxy aluminum, triheptoxy aluminum, trinonoxy aluminum,triundecoxy aluminum, tridecoxy aluminum, tripentadecoxy aluminum andthe like. Other suitable aluminum alkoxides those of US. Pat. No.2,892,858, particularly those whose corresponding alcohols aresubstantially insoluble in water. Such alkoxides are readily obtained byoxidation of aluminum alkyls produced via the processes of US. Pat. Nos.2,781,410 and 2,835,689.

Aluminum alkoxides used may be in the pure form in the sense that all ofthe alkyl groups in a given mixture have the same number of carbon atomsor they may be mixtures in regard to alkyl groups. Such mixtures maycontain two or more different alkyl groups. A typical mixture ofaluminum alkoxides is that produced by a chain growth operation ofethylene on a lower alkyl aluminum compound such as triethyl aluminum ortripropyl aluminum producing a wide range of aluminum alkoxides rangingfrom compounds with ethyl oxy groups through triacontyl oxy groups in astatistical distribution such as that of the Poisson distribution or amodified Poisson distribution produced by a peaking operation inaccordance with known processes such as is described in US. Pat. Nos.3,384,651 and 3,415,861. When using wide range mixtures of aluminumalkoxides such as those obtained through the chain growth operation, onemay encounter instances wherein the separations of the organic andaqueous phases is accomplished easier than in other instances. Usuallythis is the result of the presence of absence of water-soluble alcoholsin the organic constituency. If the separation is such that improvementis desired, it is generally possible to remove the lower alcohols byconventional procedures such as distillation; however, where the priorprocessing of the aluminum alkoxides permits control over such mattersit is generally preferred to produce aluminum alkoxides having a minimumcontent of lower alkyl groups that result in the production ofwater-soluble alcohols. In general, it is preferred, therefore, to usealuminum alkoxides having no more than about 10 mol percent totalethoxy, methoxy, propoxy, butoxy, and pentoxy group content.

The carbon skeletal structures of the alkyl groups used in the aluminumalkoxides reacted in accordance with the process of the presentinvention are not partic ularly critical. Furthermore, it should beevident that the term alkoxide is used in a general sense to covervarious compatible organo-oxy groups which do not react adversely underthe conditions set forth. Although various hydrocarbyl oxy aluminumcompounds known from the prior art may be used, it is generallypreferred to use alkoxy aluminum compounds where the term alkyl is usedin a narow sense; viz, C,,H where n 5-30 because of their desiredreactivity and freedom from adverse reactivity.

Preferred alkyl groups in the preferred alkoxy compounds are thestraight chain aliphatic groups of the formula C,,H (n 5-30)particularly those which have terminal carbon atom attachment to theoxygen atom in the alkoxy compounds, e.g. CH (CH ),,CH O-al where a! l/3Al and n 428. Other useful alkyl groups are cycloaliphatic andproximately and remotely branched alkyl groups such as those having twoor more alkyl groups bonded to the carbon atom which is bonded tooxygen,

where total carbon is 6-30, as well as those wherein the carbon atombonded to oxygen is a primary carbon atom which is bonded to a tertiarycarbon atom.

where total carbon is 6-30. It will be recognized that the former typeof branched alkoxy groups is in reality a secondary alkyl structurewhich results in the production of secondary alcohols while the latteris a structure of the type corresponding to vinylidene olefins whichresult in the production of branched primary alcohols. Of course, it isto be understood that straight chain primary structures, straight chainsecondary structures and the vinylidene olefin type of structures canhave remote branching at carbon atoms more remote than the one attachedto the oxygen or the carbon atom directly attached to the carbon atomattached to oxygen. Although it is well known that the secondary andprimary branched alcohols have properties which are similar to butsomewhat different from those of the straight chain normal alcoholswhich have attachment to the oxygen via a primary carbon atom, suchdifferent alcohols are substantially equivalent as far as the practiceof the present invention is concerned because the slight temperature andmelting point difference do not materially affect operation of thepresent process in an unpredictable manner. Other suitable structuresare difunctional structures with two or more linkages to one or morealuminum molecules such as a1-O-(CH ),,-O-al and l Where the aluminumchlorohydrate produced in the present process is used as an intermediatefor the recycle of hydrochloric acid via pyrolysis, the aqueous solutionthereof is preferably pre-dried in one or more steps and heated to anultimate temperature in the region of from about 150 to about 1500C,preferably from about 300 to about lOOOC, more preferably from about 450to about 600C under which conditions the hydrochloric acid readilysplits off and is recoverable for recycle to react with additionalquantities of aluminum alkoxide. Although the two stage drying operationmay facilitate the removal of excess water in those instances where suchis desired, normally it is not necessary to separate the recyclehydrochloric acid from the accompanying water that was present from thealuminum chlorohydrate solution because the water may be recycled withthe hydrochloric acid. Particularly is this true and it is recognizedthat water is consumed in the hydrol :is of the aluminum alkoxidesmaking it necessary to supply make-up water as the operation of theinvention proceeds in a recycle form of operation.

The following examples indicate preferred embodiments of the presentinvention.

EXAMPLE 1 One tenth ofa mol of aluminum hexoxide equivalent to 2.7 gramsof aluminum in 100 ml of toluene was reacted with 1.825 grams (0.05 mol)of HCl in 50 cc of water at room temperature (25C). A gelatinous massformed. The mixture was heated at 60 for minutes with agitation forminga solubilized system or mixture. On settling, a two-phase systemresulted.

EXAMPLE ll Example 1 was repeated with an aluminum alkoxide.

containing predominantly C to C alkoxy groups in a ratio of about65/25/10. The gelatinous mass initially formed was heated at for 20minutes to produce solubilization and separation of the organic andwater phase.

EXAMPLE III Example I was repeated with 0.1 mol of aluminum octoxideAl(OC l-l and with 0.1 mol of HCl in cc of water. The product was heatedto 80 for 10 minutes. Good separation was obtained with the alcohol inthe top layer and the aluminum in the lower layer.

EXAMPLE IV Example 111 was repeated with 0.07 mol of HCl (2.5 grams) per0.1 mol of aluminum octoxide.

EXAMPLE V 50 Grams of Al(OH) Cl was heated at 400500C for three hoursand analyzed. It contained 44.6 percent aluminum and 1.68 percentchlorine. A sample of the same starting material was heated for 8 hoursin a second experiment and the product analyzed. The product containedsubstantially zero chlorine present.

1 claim:

1. A process for hydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohol and ahydroxy chloroaluminum compound which comprises:

reacting an aluminum alkoxide having from about 6 to about 30 carbonatoms per alkoxide group and hydrochloric acid in molar proportions offrom about to about 1 mol of hydrochloric acid per mol of aluminumalkoxide in an aqueous system to form a two phase reaction productsystem, one of said phases being an organic phase, the other of saidphases being an aqueous solution of AlCl (OH) and separating the phases.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the aluminum alkoxide contains aplurality of alkyl groups ranging from about ethyl to about triacontyl,predominating in decyl. dodecyl, tetradecyl and hexadecyl alkyl groups.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the aluminum alkoxide containspredominantly octyl and higher alkyl groups.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of hydrochloric acidto aluminum alkoxide is about /:l and the product is AlC1 =,(OH)- 5. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein the temperature is from about 0 to about C.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature is from about 40 toabout 80C.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein substantially anhydrous aluminumalkoxide is combined with an HCl solution of from about 1 to about 38weight percent HCl.

8. An improved method for producing aluminum oxide or aluminum hydroxidewhich comprises:

reacting an aluminum alkoxide having from about 6 to about 30 carbonatoms per alkoxide group and hydrochloric acid in molar proportions offrom about k to about 1 mol of hydrochloric acid per mol of aluminumalkoxide in an aqueous system to 3,887,691 9 10 form a two phasereaction product system, one of aluminum hydroxide or aluminum oxide isat a tempersaid phases being an organic phase. the other of ature offrom about 150 to about 1500C. said phases being an aqueous solution ofAlCl., 11. The process of claim 8 wherein the heating of the (OH)separating the phases and vaporizing AlCl .,(OH) is at a temperature offrom about water and hydrochloric acid from the AlCl., 5 300 to aboutl00OC.

CH to produce a residue of aluminum hy- 12. The process of claim 8wherein the heating of the droxide or aluminum oxide. AlCl ,(OH) is at atemperature of from about 9. The process of claim 8 wherein thehydrochloric 450 to about 600C. acid vaporized is recovered and recycledto the step of 13. The process of claim 8 wherein the heating of thereaction of the aluminum alkoxide. 10 AlCl ,(OH) is at a temperature ofabout 10. The process of claim 8 wherein at least a portion 500C. of theheating of the AlCl (OH) to produce UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,887,691

Q DATED June 5, l975 INVENTOR(S) Paul Kobetz It is certified that errorappears in the ab0ve-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Cover page in item [75], reads Paul Kobetz, Baton Rouge, La.", shouldread Paul Kobetz, deceased, late of Baton Rouge, La. Column 2, line 51,reads comlete, should read complete Column 5, line 25, reads in", shouldread In Column 6, line 2l, reads presence of absence, should readpresence or absence 5 line #5, reads narow", should read narrow 5 line#6, reads "5-50", should read 6-50 line 50, reads "(n 5-50)", shouldread (n 6-50) Column 9, line 6, reads o 2.52.o", Should read O( )2.52.O

Engncd and Scaled thus eighteenth of November 1975 ISEALI Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN .-lIIv.sIrng ()jjru'r (HMIIIIXSHHHVny'lurums and Trademarks

1. A process for hydrolyzing aluminum alkoxides to produce alcohol and ahydroxy chloroaluminum compound which comprises: reacting an aluminumalkoxide having from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms per alkoxide groupand hydrochloric acid in molar proportions of from about 1/2 to about 1mol of hydrochloric acid per mol of aluminum alkoxide in an aqueoussystem to form a two phase reaction product system, one of said phasesbeing an organic phase, the other of said phases being an aqueoussolution of AlCl0.5 1.0(OH)2.5 2.0, and separating the phases.
 1. APROCESS FOR HYDROLYZING ALUMINUM ALKOXIDES TO PRODUCE ALCOHOL AND AHYDROXY CHLOROALUMINUM COMPOUND WHICH COMPRISES: REACTING AN ALUMINUMALKOXIDE HAVING FROM ABOUT 6 TO ABOUT 30 CARBON ATOMS PER ALKOXIDE GROUPAND HYDROCHLORIC ACID IN MOLAR PROPORTIONS OF FROM ABOUT / TO ABOUT 1MOL OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID PER MOL OF ALUMINUM ALKOXIDE IN AN AQUEOUSSYSTEM TO FORM A TWO PHASE REACTION PRODUCT SYSTEM, ONE OF SAID PHASESBEING AN ORGANIC PHASE, THE OTHER OF SAID PHASES BEING AN AQUEOUSSOLUTION OF ALCL0.5-1.0(OH)2.5-2.0, AND SEPARATING THE PHASES.
 2. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein the aluminum alkoxide contains a plurality ofalkyl groups ranging from about ethyl to about triacontyl, predominatingin decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl and hexadecyl alkyl groups.
 3. The processof claim 1 wherein the aluminum alkoxide contains predominantly octyland higher alkyl groups.
 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the molarratio of hydrochloric acid to aluminum alkoxide is about 1/2 :1 and theproduct is AlCl0.5(OH)2.5.
 5. The process of claim 1 wherein thetemperature is from about 0 to abouT 150*C.
 6. The process of claim 1wherein the temperature is from about 40* to about 80*C.
 7. The processof claim 1 wherein substantially anhydrous aluminum alkoxide is combinedwith an HCl solution of from about 1 to about 38 weight percent HCl. 8.An improved method for producing aluminum oxide or aluminum hydroxidewhich comprises: reacting an aluminum alkoxide having from about 6 toabout 30 carbon atoms per alkoxide group and hydrochloric acid in molarproportions of from about 1/2 to about 1 mol of hydrochloric acid permol of aluminum alkoxide in an aqueous system to form a two phasereaction product system, one of said phases being an organic phase, theother of said phases being an aqueous solution of AlCl0.5 1.0(OH)2.52.0, separating the phases and vaporizing water and hydrochloric acidfrom the AlCl0.5 1.0OH2.5 2.0 to produce a residue of aluminum hydroxideor aluminum oxide.
 8. AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR PRODUCING ALUMINUM OXIDE ORALUMINUM HYDROXIDE WHICH COMPRISES: REACTING AN ALUMINUM ALKOXIDE HAVINGFROM ABOUT 6 TO ABOUT 30 CARBON ATOMS PER ALKOXIDE GROUP ANDHYDROCHLORIC ACID IN MOLAR PROPORTIONS OF FROM ABOUT / TO ABOUT 1 MOL OFHYDROCHLORIC ACID PER MOL OF ALUMINUM ALKOXIDE IN AN AQUEOUS SYSTEM TOFORM A TWO PHASE REACTION PRODUCT SYSTEM, ONE OF SAID PHASES BEING ANORGANIC PHASE, THE OTHER OF SAID PHASES BEING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OFALCL0.5-1.0(OH)2.5-2.0, SEPARATING THE PHASES AND VAPORIZING WATER ANDHYDROCHLORIC ACID FROM THE ALCL0.5-0.0OH2.5-2.0 TO PRODUCE A RESIDUE OFALUMINUM HYDROXIDE OR ALUMINUM OXIDE.
 9. The process of claim 8 whereinthe hydrochloric acid vaporized is recovered and recycled to the step ofreaction of the aluminum alkoxide.
 10. The process of claim 8 wherein atleast a portion of the heating of the AlCl0.5 1.0(OH)2.5 2.0 to producealuminum hydroxide or aluminum oxide is at a temperature of from about150* to about 1500*C.
 11. The process of claim 8 wherein the heating ofthe AlCl0.5 1.0(OH)2.5 2.0 is at a temperature of from about 300* toabout 1000*C.
 12. The process of claim 8 wherein the heating of theAlCl0.5 1.0(OH)2.5 2.0 is at a temperature of from about 450 to about600*C.